Albuquerque activists eye history in new protest

(AP) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) -- Albuquerque activists say they're looking to New Mexico's unique history of resistance to draw inspiration for their protests of the embattled Police Department.

For example, the move to issue a citizen's arrest of Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden this week at a City Council meeting was modeled on the 1967 raid of a courthouse in New Mexico in which activists attempted a citizen's arrest of the district attorney.

On Monday, a crowd angry over recent police shootings packed council chambers, forcing city leaders to abruptly end the meeting. Protesters planned more unrest at Thursday's meeting.

They say the rowdy disruption of the council meeting also follows the tactics of the 1960s Mexican-American group, the Black Berets. That group tried to halt public events to draw attention to police brutality and poverty issues.